Reference Entry
GEORGE WASHINGTON APPOINTED COMMANDER IN CHIEF
Just one day after creating a Continental Army, Congress turned to the problem of who should lead it and selected George Washington of Virginia as commander in chief. Washington had experience from the French and Indian War, a reputation for personal courage, and the political advantage of coming from a southern colony at a moment when most fighting was in New England. His appointment helped weld together regional interests by placing a Virginian at the head of largely New England troops.
Dated Historical Context
A RECORDED MOMENT IN HISTORY
George Washington appointed commander in chief
Just one day after creating a Continental Army, Congress turned to the problem of who should lead it and selected George Washington of Virginia as commander in chief. Washington had experience from the French and Indian War, a reputation for personal courage, and the political advantage of coming from a southern colony at a moment when most fighting was in New England. His appointment helped weld together regional interests by placing a Virginian at the head of largely New England troops. Washington accepted the role with a mixture of confidence and humility, insisting that he would serve without pay beyond his expenses. Over the next eight years he would shape the character of the emerging American officer corps through his expectations of discipline, perseverance, and respect for civilian authority. The choice made on June 15th, 1775 created not only a leader for the immediate war but also a model of military service in a republic that later generations studied closely.
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